Open hearth roof cooler



June 16, 1964' BEST OPEN HEARTH ROOF COOLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1962 IINVENTOR -Da/?/e/ E. Besf ATTORNEY June 16, 1964 D. E. BEST 3,137,277

OPEN HEARTH ROOF COOLER Filed Feb. 12, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV E NTOR Da/W'e/ E. Bea) ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice 3,137,277 Patented June 16, 1964 Fiied Feb. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 172,660 Claims. (Cl. 122- 6.6)

This invention relates to coolers and more specifically to improvements in coolers used on an open hearth furnace roof equipped with oxygen lances.

Many present day practices of making steel in an open hearth furnace include the use of oxygen in order to speed up the process of reducing the charge to molten metal. The oxygen is piped through water cooled lances which pass through central openings in the coolers inserted in the furnace roof. These lances are positioned at the required level above the bath to feed oxygen into the molten metal.

Due to the intense heat from the bath and flame to which the ceiling of the furnace roof is exposed, the nose portion of the cooler and the refractory portions surrounding the cooler become vulnerable to hot spots and burnout. These have to be prevented because, whenever they do occur, the furnace has to be slowed-up or shut down for roof repairs. As a result there are delays and loss of production. Therefore, it is essential to keep the cooler andthe immediate surrounding area at a lower temperature by suitable cooling means.

It is an object of this invention to provide a cooler having characteristics of high heat conductivity and the ability to withstand high temperatures.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cooler that will protect the furnace roof surrounding the cooler from the intense heat of the flame and bath.

Still another object is to provide means for delivering the coolant to the hotter exposed nose portion first before circulating through other parts of the cooler.

Another object is to provide a new and improved cooler for use in an open hearth furnace roof which is simple in construction, light in weight and inexpensive to manufacture;

These and further objects will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a portion of an open hearth furnace roof with a cooler through which is positioned. an oxygen lance.

FIG. 2 is anelevational view of the cooler.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the top of the cooler.

FIG. 4 is a transverse section of the cooler taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section taken along line 6-45 of FIG. 3.

In my improved type of cooler, a chambered metal casting of high heat conductivity is used having, for example, a composition of 99.5% copper and 0.5% tin. The casting rapidly conducts the heat away from the hotter exposed nose portion and surrounding refractory brick to the circulating coolant. In order to do this most efliciently, the incoming cold water is directed first toward the hottest part of the cooler around the nose portion before circulating through the rest of the cooler. Means are also provided for obtaining additional cooling effects by allowing some of the colder water to flow into a portion of the cooler which would otherwise receive less circulation than other portions.

As shown in FIG. 1 the cooler in its normal operating position faces downward through a furnace roof with the front of its nose portion approximately in line with the inner face of the furnace roof. Part of the upper body portion of the cooler projects above the furnace roof for connecting to water lines and also for servicing.

Reference numeral 1 designates a portion of an open hearth roof with an opening 2 for seating the roof cooler 3. An oxygen lance 4 which can be raised or lowered to the desired position inside the furnace is inserted through a central opening 5 of the cooler 3.

Between the nose portion 6 and the body portion 7 a baflle wall 8 divides the interior of the cooler into a shallow nose chamber 9 and a deeper body chamber 10 to receive circulating cooling fluid. A circular inner wall 11.defines the central opening of the cooler and along with outer walls 12 and 13 which extend from the top wall 14 to the nose wall 15 enclose the nose and body chambers 9 and 10. One pair of outer walls 13 taper inwardly toward the nose portion 6 for the purpose of seating the cooler 3 into the furnace roof 1. Inlet opening 16 and outlet opening 17 are located in the top wall 14 for connecting to incoming and outgoing water lines.

Running longitudinally from the inlet opening 16 in the top wall 14 and through the body chamber 10 is an enclosed passageway 18 which extends toward the nose portion 6 and communicates with the nose chamber 9 at 19 as shown in FIG. 5. This passageway is formed by a through baflle 20 extending between the top wall 14 and the nose wall 15 and also a shorter baflle 21 extending between the top wall 14 and the baflle wall 8. These baflles 20 and 21 are integral with the circular inner wall 11 and outside walls 12 and 13, and they form the enclosed passageway to direct the coolant into the hottest area of the cooler at the nose portion 6 before circulating through other parts of the cooler 3.

Cooling water enters the passageway 18 through inlet opening 16 and flows toward the hot nose portion 6. Upon leaving the passageway at 19 and where the water first enters the hot nose chamber, a small quantity of the cooling water flows through a small opening 22 in the baffle wall 8 and into the body chamber 10. This small quantity of water thereby cools the so-called dead area portion of the cooler between the inlet and outlet openings of the body chamber 10. Under normal operating conditions this portion of the cooler would not receive any of the cooler circulating water without this small opening 22. Most of the cooling water continues to flow through the nose chamber 9 in a generally circumferential path to the end of the bafile wall 8 thereby first cooling the hotter nose portion before cooling the other parts of the cooler. At this point the water is diverted by the through baffle 20 and is caused to flow through the larger opening 23 in batfle wall 8 thereby flooding and cooling most of the body chamber 10 while flowing towards the outlet connection 17. Thus most of the coolant is directed to travel the longest path to. the outlet connection.

Short radial ribs 24 spaced midway between the top wall 14 and baflle wall 8 are integral with the inner wall 11 and outer walls 12 or 13. These are provided to reinforce the walls forming the body chamber 10. Tapped openings 25 located in the top wall are used for cleaning the inside of the casting and are plugged while the cooler is being used. There are also small threaded holes 26 in the top wall of the cooler for securing eyehooks or the like (not shown) for lifting and suspension of the cooler during use. 27 is a tapped hole through which a tool is passed for drilling the small opening 22 in the baflle wall 8. This hole 27 is also plugged while the cooler is in operation.

While I have described my invention in considerable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but may use such substitutions, modifications or equivalents thereof as are embraced with- 3 in the scope of my invention, or as pointed out in the claims. I

I claim:

1. A furnace roof cooler with a central passage comprising:

(a) a nose portion and a body portion,

(b) a baflie wall between said nose and said body portions dividing the interior of the cooler into a shallow nose chamber and a deeper body chamber for circulating a cooling fluid,

(c) a passageway extending through said body portion and communicating with said nose portion, said passageway defined by a set of through baffles extending longitudinally through said body chamber to said baflle Wall with one of said through baffles extending through the nose chamber, and said bafiies being integral with the body and nose portions,

(d) inlet means for delivering a coolant to said passageway,

(e)la first means in said baffle wall immediately adjacent to the end of said passageway in the direction of the coolant flow allowing a relatively small portion of the coolant to flow into the body chamber,

(f) a second means in said batfle wall located at a maximum distance in an annular direction from said first means in the direction of the coolant flow allowing most of the coolant to flow into thebody chamber, and l V (g) outlet means for discharging the coolant from said body portion.

2. A furnace roof cooler with a central passage comprising: I

(a) a baflle Wall dividing the interior of the cooler into a shallow nose chamber and a deeper body chamber for circulating a cooling fluid,

(b) a passageway extending through the body chamber and communicating with the nose chamber, said passageway defined by a set of through baffles extending longitudinally through said body chamber to said baflle wall with one of said baffles extending through the nose chamber, and said bafiles being integral with the body and nose portions,

() inlet means for delivering a cooling fluid to said passageway,

(d) a first opening in said bafile wall immediately adjacent to the end of said passageway in the direction of the coolant flow to allow cooling fluid to flow into the body chamber between the inlet and outlet means,

(e) a second and larger opening at the end of said I baflle Wall located at a maximum distance from said first opening in the direction of the coolant flow, and

(f) outlet means for discharging the cooling fluid from said body chamber.

3. A furnace roof cooler with a central passage comprising:

(a) a baflle wall dividing the interior of the cooler into a shallow nose chamber and a deeper body chamber for circulating a coolant,

('b) aipassageway extending through the body chamber and communicating With the nose chamber, said passageway defined by a set of through baffies extending longitudinally through said body chamber to said baffle wall with one of said baffles extending through the nose. chamber, and said bafiies being integral with the body and nose portions,

(c) inlet means for delivering a coolant to said pasa ay,

(d) outlet means for discharging the coolant from the body chamber, 1

(e a first opening in said bathe wall immediately adjacent to the end of such passageway and positioned between the inlet and outlet means in the direction of the coolant flow, said opening allowing a small amount of the coolant to flow into the body chamber, and

(f) a second and larger opening in said baflle wall located at a maximum distance in an annular direction from said first opening along said bafile wall and along the direetion'of the coolant flow, said larger opening allowing the balance of the coolant to flow into the body chamber. 7

4. A furnace roof cooler with a central passagecomprising:

(a) a battle wall dividing the interior of the cooler into a shallow-nose chamber and a deeper body chamber for circulating a cooling fluid,

(b) said nose and body chambers having an annular shaped inner wall and flat outer walls enclosing said nose and body chambers,

(c) a passageway extending between said inner and outer walls of said body chamber, said passageway defined by a set of through baflles extending longitudinally through said body chamber to said baflle Wall with one of said baflles extending through the nose chamber, and said baflles being integral with the body and nose portions, 7

(d) inlet means for delivering cooling fluid to said passageway,

(e) a first opening in said bafile wall immediately adjacent to the point of entry of the cooling fluid into the nose chamber in the direction of the coolant flow,

(f) a second and larger opening at the end of said bafile wall located at a maximum distance in an annular direction from said first opening along the direction of the coolant flow, and

(g) outlet means for discharging the cooling fluid from said body portion.

5. A furnace roof cooler with a central passage comprising:

(a) a bafile wall dividing the interior of the cooler into a shallow nose chamber and a deeper body chamber for circulating a cooling fluid, V

(b) a passageway extending through the body chamber and said baflle wall and leading into the nose chamber,

(0) said passageway defined by a set of through baflles extending longitudinally through said body chamber to said baflle wall with one of said baffles extending through the nose chamber, and said baflles being integral with the body and nose portions,

(d) inlet means for delivering coolant to said passage- (2) means in said baflle wall to permit the discharge of the coolant from said nose chamber into said body chamber to allow the coolant to circulate between the inlet and outlet means, said means comprising a small opening in said baffle wall adjacent to the point of entry of the coolant into the nose chamber and a larger opening located at an approximate maximum circumferential distance from said small opening in said baflie wall to allow the coolant to enter and circulate throughout the body chamber, and

(f) outlet means for discharging the coolant from said body chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. A FURNACE ROOF COOLER WITH A CENTRAL PASSAGE COMPRISING: (A) A NOSE PORTION AND A BODY PORTION, (B) A BAFFLE WALL BETWEEN SAID NOSE AND SAID BODY PORTIONS DIVIDING THE INTERIOR OF THE COOLER INTO A SHALLOW NOSE CHAMBER AND A DEEPER BODY CHAMBER FOR CIRCULATING A COOLING FLUID, (C) A PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BODY PORTION AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID NOSE PORTION, SAID PASSAGEWAY DEFINED BY A SET OF THROUGH BAFFLES EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THROUGH SAID BODY CHAMBER TO SAID BAFFLE WALL WITH ONE OF SAID THROUGH BAFFLES EXTENDING THROUGH THE NOSE CHAMBER, AND SAID BAFFLES BEING INTEGRAL WITH THE BODY AND NOSE PORTIONS, (D) INLET MEANS FOR DELIVERING A COOLANT TO SAID PASSAGEWAY, (E) A FIRST MEANS IN SAID BAFFLE WALL IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE END OF SAID PASSAGEWAY IN THE DIRECTION OF THE COOLANT FLOW ALLOWING A RELATIVELY SMALL PORTION OF THE COOLANT TO FLOW INTO THE BODY CHAMBER, (F) A SECOND MEANS IN SAID BAFFLE WALL LOCATED AT A MAXIMUM DISTANCE IN AN ANNULAR DIRECTION FROM SAID FIRST MEANS IN THE DIRECTION OF THE COOLANT FLOW ALLOWING MOST OF THE COOLANT TO FLOW INTO THE BODY CHAMBER, AND (G) OUTLET MEANS FOR DISCHARGING THE COOLANT FROM SAID BODY PORTION. 